Blog Archives

Kin of Place: Essays on 20 New Zealand Writers C K Stead Auckland University Press, $39.95, ISBN 1869402723 When invited to review this new collection of critical essays by C K Stead, I initially demurred on the grounds of my…

In the Garden Place, amoroso Coming in from every boxed and metal thing I stumbled on this courtly crowd – I was on my best behaviour, hope it showed. Down every aisle I nodded, noted every winning smile –…

Husk Chris Price Auckland University Press, $21.95, ISBN 1869402669 I suppose it’s as true to say that you shouldn’t judge a book by its title as by its cover. Certainly, when it comes to some otherwise admirable collections of New…

A Fair and Just Solution – a History of the Integration of Private Schools in New Zealand Rory Sweetman Dunmore Press, $34.95, ISBN 0864694148 Once upon a time there were, theoretically, two school systems in New Zealand. There were state…

Harry Orsman (1928 – 2002) In his fine eulogy at Harry Orsman’s funeral, Stuart Johnston considered the meanings we might take from “character”. He unravelled the word so that it extended far beyond the way we usually use it, and…

Fantasy and Folly: the lost world of New Zealand musicals 1880-1940 Peter Harcourt Steele Roberts, $39.95, ISBN 1877228656 The dearth of published research on the history of entertainment in New Zealand would be reason enough to welcome the late Peter…

Essential New Zealand Short Stories ed Owen Marshall Godwit, $39.95, ISBN 1869620941 There isn’t any compromise with essential, and not much leeway either so it was a relief to read the introduction and find the editor’s explanation for using it…